Machine for making sheet-metal lath



No. 6l9 ,086. Patented Feb. 7, I899.

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MACHINE FOR MAKING SHEET METAL LATH.

(Applicatmn filed Mar. 25. 1896 (No Model.)

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- Rfi A. @HL, JR,

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J Patentefl Feb. 7, I899.

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(Application filed Mar. 25, 1898.)

2 .t e e h S s .t e e h S 2 H T A l.- L A T E M T E E N K A M R 0 F E NH c A M J 6 d n. M o N ATTORNE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. OHL, JR., OF NEWVARK, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SHEET-METAL LATH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,086 dated February7, 1899.

Application filed March 25, 1898. Serial No. 675,068- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. OHL, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at New ark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for MakingSheet- Metal Lath; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates particularly to a novel construction of machinefor the manufacture of sheet-metal lathing, which 1 term pocket-lath,and the construction of which is illustrated and described in anapplication for Letters Patent of the United States filed by myselfcontemporaneously herewith and serially numbered 675,067; and theinvention has for its primary objects to provide a machine of thischaracter for making such construction of pocket-lath, said machinecomprising suitably-arranged rolls, one having annular rows of recessedportions or depressions and supports and the other having annular rowsof cutters of a peculiar shape to shear portions of the metal sheetswhich are passed between the rolls by forming longitudinal slits andadjacent to one side of each slit throwing or forcing out the metal byelongating the same, and thereby forming mortar or filling retainingpockets in the metal sheet.

A further object is to provide a machine for making sheet-metal lath,comprising rolls, certain rolls having punch-receiving recesses andother rolls having an arrangement of punches for piercing the metalsheet at intervals and forming holes therein for fastening nails orother suitable fastening means.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a novel mechanism forfeeding a lubricant or other liquid in contact with the metal sheet andwith the cutters or dies, and also a novel means for brushing orcleaning the rolls.

With these ends in View the invention consists in the novel constructionof lath-making machine set forth in the accompanying specification andin such novel arrangements and l combinations of parts, as well as inthedeoperating the several parts of the machine,

the front table ofthe machine being represented in horizontalcross-section; and Fig. 3

is a vertical section of an adjustable gear employed in connection withthe machine. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectionof a portion ofthe machine-frame, illustrating more clearly in connection therewith thearrangement of the upper and lower feeding and punching rolls and alsoan arrangement of lubricant or liquid feeding rolls. Fig. 5 is aVertical section of the upper and lower rolls for feeding and punchingthe metal, illustrating one arrangement of disks, some provided with theannular rows of depressions or recesses and intermediate supports andsome being provided with cutters and intermediate plane disks, said viewalso representing in vertical section an arrangement of adj ustablebearin gs for raising or lowering the lower roll to produce pockets inthe metal sheet of varying depths. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal ver ticalsection of one of a pair of lubricant or liquid feeding rolls to be usedin the machine. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a plate for guiding the metalsheet as it passes from the back of the feeding-rolls. of portions ofthe punching and shearing disks, illustrating more in detail the shapeof the cutters for shearing the metal.

Similar letters of reference are employed in all of the above-describedviews to indicate corresponding parts.

In said drawings, A indicates the complete machine, comprising the usualsupports a, on which are arranged the respective bearing frames a, inwhich are the several bearings for the respective shafts or journals forthe main driving-pulley b and the upper and lower feeding-rolls. One ofsaid frames a, as will be seen from Fig. 2, has a bearing a, in which isrotatively arranged a journal I) Fig. Sis a perspective View ICO for thedriving-pulley I). Said journal b has a pinion 11 which meshes with agear d on a shaft orjournal d,rotatively arranged in bearings a in theframes a. Said shaft carries between the two frames a the several disksof the upper feeding-roll and is provided with a gear d at its oppositeend, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In vertical alinement with the bearings ain the two frames at are vertically-adjustable bearings a, arranged tobe moved up or down in certain guide portions a in said frames bysuitable screws a having jam -nuts a for locking and holding saidbearings intheir adjusted positions. Rotatively arranged in saidadjustable bearings a is a shaft or journal d which is actuated by anadjustable gear d in operative mesh with the gear of the driver-shaft d.Said gear 01 consists, essentially, of a small disk d which iskeyed orotherwise fastened to the end of the shaft d and concentrically arrangedon the peripheral edge of said disk d is a toothed ring d, the teeth ofwhich are in operative mesh with the teeth of the upper gear d on theshaft d. The said ring 01 is slidably connected with the disk 01 bymeans of bolts (1 which are passed through slots d in the disk (1 andare screwed into the said ring d", as clearly' illustrated in Figs. 1and 3. It will thus be seen that when the bolts d are loosened the saidbearings a can be adjusted, and thereby by the sliding arrangemerit ofthe ring at the teeth on said ring and those on the gear-wheel can bebrought into their proper mesh without danger of breaking the teeth orthe jamming of the other parts of themachine.

The upper feed-roll comprises a number of disks, the first disk 0 to theextreme left of the drawings in Fig. 5 fitting against ashoulder d onthe shaft d. Then there is anarrow disk 0', provided with an annulargroove 0 then a disk 0 having an annular row of depressions or recessesc and intermediatelyarranged supports 0 (see Fig. 4,) then a disk 0having a plain cylindrical surface 0 then another disk 0 having annulardepressions c, then another disk 0, having an annular groove 0 and soon. This arrangement of disks, which are all of the same diameters, isfollowed out until a screw portion 01* on said shaft 01 is reached, onwhich there is a disk 0 which is screwed up tight against the last'diskc to hold all the said disks in their operative positions on said shaftd. The lower feed-roll comprises a similar arrangement of disks, thefirst disk 0 to the extreme left of the drawings in said Fig. 5 fittingagainst a shoulder d on the journal or shaft 01 Then there is a narrowdisk e, provided with an annular head a, cooperating with the groove 0in the disk 0. Then there is a disk e having annular rows of cutters ecorresponding in number to the number of depressions c in the disks 0then a disk a having a plain cylindrical surface a, then another disk ehaving cutters 6 then operating with the respective disks of the lowerroll, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Figs. 4 and 5. v

The cutters on the disks a are of a peculiar shape, each cutter having afiat surface e a sharp cutting ,or knife edge e for shearing the metalsheet, and a rounded surface 6 which as soon as the edge e shears themetal sheet passing been the feed-rolls will force the metal adjacent toone side of every slit in the sheet into the corresponding depressions cin the disk 0 of the upper roll, thereby elongating the metal at thesepoints and forming pockets in the metal sheet without in the leastshortening the entire length of the sheet.- As has been stated, eachdisk 0 has between each pair of depressions or recesses c anintermediate support 0 for the metal sheet during its passage betweenthe two feedrolls, which prevents the tearing or breaking of the metalduring the operations of forming the pockets and causes the cutters tomake a clean cut or shear, and especially after the cutters have becomedull it still re-' sults in the production of a perfect cut.

If desired, some of the disks of the lower roll may be provided withpunching-studs e, which fit into correspondiugly-arranged holes 0 insome of the disks of the upper roll (indicated in dotted outline in Fig.4,) to cut perforations in the metal sheet for the reception of nails orothersuitable means employedin securing the completed lath to thestudding of the wall before applying the filling or plaster to the lath.I The metal sheet to be formed into a lat is placed upon a front table gin front of the two feed-rolls and is'pushed between the cooperatingsurfaces of the disks comprising said rolls. The metal lath thus beingformed passes from the opposite sides of the two rolls between a pair ofguide-plates f and f, secured on lugs a and a", respectively, said lugsextending from the inner surfaces of the frames a, as illustrated insaid Fig. 4. Secured to said lugs a is a rear table h, which receivesthe finished lath as it passes from between the feed-rolls.

The upper guide-plate f has a chisel-shaped edge f preferably shaped incross-section, which is in very close proximity to the peripheralsurfaces of the disks on the upper feed-roll,while the lower guide-platef has a series of fingers f preferably 7-shaped in cross-section, saidfingers being in close proximity to the peripheral surfaces of the diskson the lower feed-roll, the spaces f between said fingers f permittingthe passage of the cutters e between said fingers, as will beunderstood. When said plates f and f are in the positions indicated insaid Fig. 4, the sheet or lath will pass between them and will beretained perfectly straight; but when it is desired to produce a curvedlath a plate f is placed between the upper guide f and the lug a on eachside of themachine to thereby raise the said plate f, and the resultwill be that the metal lath as it comes from the rolls will becomecurved. Of course any other ad justing means in place of the plates ffor raising or lowering said guide-plate fmay be employed, if desired.

Arranged in suitable bearings in the frames (1 are the shafts "L and 2",having brushingrolls 1? and 2' respectively, for cleaning the disks ofthe respective feed-rolls and keeping them free from the scale from themetal sheets passed between the rolls. The upper shaft 0} is operated bya gear '5 and an idler 2' from the gear d on the shaft (1, and the lowershaft z" is operated by a gear 2' and an idler 71 from the gear d on theshaft 01 To lubricate the metal sheet before it is passed between thefeed-rolls or to force any other liquid upon the metal sheet to coat thesame and prevent it from corroding, I have secured in suitable positionsat the sides of the front table 9 a pair of bearings 10 and k.Rotatively arranged in the upper bearin gs is are the journals 1 of ahollow cylinder 1, one of the journals Z having a gear Z in mesh with anidler j,whicl1 is engaged by the gearwheel d on the shaft (1. Rotativelyarranged in the lower bearings are the journals l of a similar hollowcylinder Z one of the journals of said cylinder Z having a gear Pin meshwith said gear Z operated from said idler j, as clearly illustrated inFig. 1. Both said cylinders Z and Z have their ends closed by diskportions l connected with the journals; but the disk in one end of eachcylinder 5 and Z has an opening or duct Z in which are arranged the ends0 and o of a pipe 0 for conveying the liquid or lubricant into theinterior of the respective cylinders Z and Z In the cylindrical shell ofeach cylinder are suitably-disposed holes or perforations Z and eachshell is covered with a piece of felt or other suitable fabric 1",through which the liquid or lubricant oozes and thereby coats thesurfaces of the metal sheet passing between said cylinders l and l andbefore entering between the upper and lower feed-rolls of the machine.Said pipes o and 0 are connected with the pipe 0 by means of suitableconnections, and a pair of valves 0 and o may be placed in the pipe 0,whereby both cylinders Z and Z can be supplied with liquid at the sametime or whereby by closing the lower valve 0 the supply of liquid can beentirely shut ofi from the lower cylinder 1 The upper surface of thelower cylinder Z projects through an opening gin the table 9, andsecured to the bearings It is a metal plate 'm,which forms a receptacleto catch the drippings from the lower cylinder l and prevents suchdrippings from dropping upon the fioor.

Of course it will be evident that the feedpipes to the cylinders Z and Zmay be difierently arranged, so that the lower cylinder Z may be fedwithout feeding the upper cylinder Z, or vice versa. I

I am aware that changes may be made in the several arrangements andcombinations ofthe parts of the machine herein set forth, as well as inthe details of the construction thereof, without departing from thescope of my present invention. Hence I do not limit myself to the exactarrangements and combinations of parts, nor to the details of theconstruction thereof as herein described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In amachine formaking sheet-metal lath, or the like, the combination, with the frame ofthe machine, of a pair of feed-rolls, having cutters and depressions toform a lath, mechanism for operating said rolls, and means for feeding alubricant or other liquid in contact with the surface of the metal sheetjust prior to passing between said feed-rolls, and a pair ofoppositely-placed guide-plates, one provided with a chisel-shaped edge fin close proximity with the upper feed-roll, and the other, havingchisel-shaped fingers in close proximity to the lower punching-roll andalso having spaces between said fingers to permit the passage of thecutters on said punchingroll between said fingers, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

2. In a machine for making sheet-metal lath, or the like, thecombination, with the frame of the machine, of a pair of feed-rolls,having cutters and depressions to form a lath, mechanism for operatingsaid rolls, and means for feeding a lubricant or other liquid in contactwith the surface of the metal sheet just prior to passing between saidfeed-rolls, consisting, essentially, of a hollow cylinder havingjournals rotatively arranged in bearings on the machine, the shell ofsaid cylinder having perforations, a flexible material or fabric oversaid shell, and a pipe extending into one end of said cylinder,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. Inamachine for making sheet-metallath, or the like, the combination,with the frame of the machine, of a pair of feed-rolls, having cuttersand depressions to form a lath, mechanism for operating said rolls, afeeding-table g, and means thereon for feeding a lubri cant or otherliquid in contact with the surfaces of the metal sheet just prior topassing between said feed-rolls, and a pair of oppositely-placedguide-plates, one provided with a chisel-shaped edge f in closeproximity with the upper feed-roll, and the other having chisel-shapedfingers in close proximity to the lower punching-roll and also havingspaces between said fingers to permit the passage of the cutters on saidpunching-roll between said fingers, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

4. In a machine for making sheet-metal lath, or the like, thecombination, with the frame of the machine, of a pair of feed-rolls,having cutters and depressions to form a lath, mechanism for operatingsaid rolls, a feeding-table g, and means thereon for feeding a lubricantor other liquid in contact With the surfaces of the metal sheet justprior to passing between said feederolls, consisting, essentially, of apair of hollow cylinders having journals rotatively arranged in bearingson said table, the shell of each cylinder having perforations, aflexible material or fabric over the cylindrical surface of eachcylinder, and a pipe extending into one end of each cylinder,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

'5. In a machine for making sheet-metal lath, or the like, thecombination, with the frame of the machine, of a pair of feed-rolls,having surface of the metal sheet just prior to passing between thefeed-rolls, consisting, essentially, of a hollow cylinder havingjournals rotatively arranged in bearings on the machine, the shell ofsaid cylinder having perforations, a flexible material or fabricoversaid shell, and a pipe extending into one end of said cylinder,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a machine for making sheet-metal lath, or the like, thecombination, With the frame, of the machine, of a pair of feed-rolls,having cutters and depressions to form a lath,,mechanism for operatingthe same, and a pair of guide-plates adjustably arranged directly backof the operating-surfaces of said rolls, and a pair of oppositely-placedguide-plates,

one provided with a chisel-shaped edge f in close proximity with theupper feed-roll, and the other having chisel-shaped fingers in closeproximity to the lower punching-roll and also having spaces between saidfingers to permit the passage of the cutters on said punchingrollbetween said fingers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a machine for making sheet-metal lath, or the like, thecombination, with the frame of the machine, of a pair of feed-rolls,having cutters and depressions to form a lath, mechanism for operatingthe same, and a pair of guide-plates f and f directly back of saidrolls, said plate f having a chisel-shaped edge f and said plate fhaving chisel-shaped fingersf and intermediate spaces f all arranged,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

provided with annular rows or cutters directly opposite the depressionsin the disks of the other roll, and each cutter having a straightsurface 6 a shearing edge e to cut slits in the metal sheet, and arounded'shaping-surface 6 to elongate the metal at one side of each slitto form a pocket, and intermediate disks between said cutter-diskshaving plain circumferential surfaces, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

9. Inamachine for makingsheet-metallath, a pair of feed-rolls, one ofsaid feed-rolls comprising a series of disks provided with annulardepressions or recesses, and intermediate disks having plaincircumferential surfaces, and a series of disks having longitudinalgrooves in their circumferential surfaces, and said other rollcomprising a series of disks provided with annular rows of cuttersdirectly opposite the depressions in the disks of the other roll,andeach cutter having a straight surface a a shearing edge e to cut slitsin the metal sheet, and a rounded shaping-surface 6 to elongate themetal at one side of each slit to form a pocket, and intermediate disksbetween said cutter-disks having plain circumferential edges, and aseries of disks having annular beads cooperating with said grooveddisks, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a machine for making sheet-metal lath, a pair of feed-rolls, oneof said feed-rolls comprising a series of disks provided with annulardepressions or recesses, and intermediate disks having punching-studs aand said other roll comprising a series of disks provided with annularrows of cutters directly opposite the depressions in the disks of theother roll, and each cutter having a straight surface 6 a shearing edgee to cut slits in the metal sheet, and arounded shaping-surface 6 toelongate the metal on one side of each slit and form a pocket, andintermediate disks having holes 0 directly opposite said punching-studs,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 18th day of March, 1898.

. GEORGE A. OHL, JR.

Witnesses:

FREDK. O. FRAENTZEL, WM. HJCAMFIELD, Jr.

